Ball-and-socket vehicle coupling



y 7 C. L. CLARK .ET AL BALL'AND SOCKET VEHICLE COUPLING Filed July 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor C'A/WE L.C'L/9/Pfr CHARLES E flew/60A July 12, 1949. L, CLARKv T AL 2,475,878

BALL AND SOCKET VEHICLE COUPLING Filed July 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CLARE L. CLARK} CHARL 5 E DEN/501V Patented July 12, 19 9 OFFICE BALL-AND-SOCKET VEHICLE. COUPLING Clare L. Clark and Charles E. Denison, Billings, Mont.

Application July 19, 1946, Serial N0. 84,943

12 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains to novel and useful improvements in a trailer hook and more specifically has reference to a coupling device for securing vehicle tongues to trailer drawbars.

It is a most important object of our invention to provide a drawbar coupling which has an improved, positive quick action.

A very important purpose of the invention resides in constructing a trailer coupling which facilitates the clamping and releasing action thereof.

Another important aim of the device comprises the formulation of a coupling device in accordance with the foregoing objects, which has extremely simple but dependable means to facilitate the operation of the hook.

Still another intention of our invention envisions the provision of an appliance which may conveniently be manipulated by one person and may be automatically released by remote control means.

Yet another object of the device contemplates the development of an assemblage which conforms to the preceding objects wherein a positive means is provided for maintaining the clutch in locked relation and in further positively preventing separation of the coupling from its load.

An additional purpose consists in providing a means for enclosing the mechanism which also cooperates therewith to positively lock or release the coupling action.

These, together with various ancillary objects to become later apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by our arrangement, one embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view through the preferred form of our coupling in locked position;

Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section through the device, the cover and parts being shown in rel-eased relation;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail view being taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view,

similar to Figure 3 but showing a modified form of spring means; and,

Figure 6 is a partly diagrammatic and partly vertical sectional, fragmentary view of a car and trailer showing the coupling applied thereto.

Referring first to Figures, 10 denotes a motor vehicle which is hitched-to a trailer l2 by means of a vehicl drawbar l4 and a trailer tongue l6 united by our improved coupling indicated generally at I8. It will be readily apparent that our device is not limited to use in a vehicle and trailer combination, but is equally applicable to any drawbar and a driven member associated therewith.

The drawbar [4 supports a ball 20 detachably engageable in the clutch assembly lB suitably attached to the tongue 16. This assembly includes a base plate 22 surmounted by a block 24, removably secured at 26, and having a recessed or notched end portion 28, while the base plate 22 is similarly cut away at 30. Extending longitudinally of block 24 is a slot or bore 32 of rectangular cross-section communicating with recess 28 and terminating in a shoulder 34 which is pierced by a guide aperture 36.

By reference to Figures 2 and 4, it will be observed that a top plate 38 is adapted to overlie the cavity 28 in spaced parallel relation to base plate 22, being conveniently secured thereto by the fasteners 26. A latch 40 is guided and slidable in slot 32 and has a guide bar 42 slidable in aperture 36 and surrounded by a compression spring at seated between latch M! and shoulder 34. The outer endof latch 40 has a spherical seat 46 cooperating with the ball 20. A latch pin or stem "48 extends upwardly from latch 40 and reciprocates in the guiding slot 50 in cover plate 38, for a purpose to presently become apparent.

A pair of arcuate clutch jaws 52 are journalled at 54 between cover and base plates 38 and 2e for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, their rear ends 55 being freely received in the cavity 28. Compression springs 58 are engaged between the body 24 and the rear portion 56, being retained and guided by pins 60 and bias the jaws 52 about their pivots 54 in a direction to open the jaws. The inner surfaces of the jaws are provided with hemi-spherical sockets or recesses 62 which seat and retain the ball 20 therebetween. The adjacent, inner rear surfaces of jaws 52 have parallel heel portions 64 between which the latch 40' extends, the side of the latch engaging the heels to prevent their oscillatory movement thereby locking the jaws in their engaged position as shown in Figure 1. At their forward end, the jaws are formed with similar parallel toe portions 66 for a purpose to be subsequently explained.

A housing or cover 68 is laterally journalled at 1D to the body 24, and its periphery snugly embraces and encloses the circumference of the cover and base plates 38, 22 and the outer circumference of the jaws 52 and has extendin inwardly therefrom a detachable boss 12 provided with a seat 14. When the cover 68 is closed, boss 12 is positioned between toes 66, and its seat 1'4 provides a safety means for engaging the ball 20 and retaining it in its seat in the recesses 62 and transmits part of the thrust therefromjo the tongue and base plate 22., It is intended thatithe jaws 52 shall be retained in their engaged position when the cover is closed by the inner ci1'-. cumference of the cover limiting the outward pivoting of jaws 52, while the latch d!) byv-i'ts engagement with heels 64 additionally blocks anyopenin movement thereof. The upper surface of the.

housing 68 is recessed at 16 to accommodate the head 18 of the ,pin 48 during its sliding movement: At its rear end, cover 68 has spaced upturned lugs. 8i], journalling by fulcrum 82, a flexible tongue 84 extending through a slot-8B in the cover, and being secured to the pin 48' by an'aperture-88. The arrangement is such, that as-the cover pivots about pins 10, the tongue 84 by its attachment-to pin 48 reciprocates the'latch 40 in its guide slot 32.

When the cover is raised; 'see' Figure 2, the latch is withdrawn from betweenheels-Gd against the action of spring 44, whereupon springs 58=-are free to efiect an openingor releasing oscillation of the jaws. Simultaneously, boss12 iswithdrawn from engagement with-ba1li- 20, thereby freeing the latter forlongitudinalimovementout of the notch 30 and from between-jaws'52;

It is evident, that a remote control means such as a cable may be attached to" coven68 to efiect this openingyand releasing- 'movementz It will" also be understood that rearward movement of the drawbar will force ball-2D"tliroughthe-guide slot 3!] and into engagementwith-the heel portion 56 and the rear of seats Mytherebyforcing the jaws 52 to pivot in a closing movementabout their fulcrums 54 and into-seating and-gripping ually closed and the'pln1'48 Willbe manually-retracted to release latch40'w In some installations, tension 'springs 'l 58 may be substituted -forcompression springs-58; As

shown in Figure 5, these springsmay. beanchored to the body 24, as by fasteners-I60 and'preferably have their opposite --extremitie"s-= attached at I62" to the surface of ja'ws 52." The construction is otherwise identical to'thatset forth'abover" 1 From the foregoing, it will be'appreciatedthat various embodiments for realizing the: principlesw of our invention will readily occur-\to'those skilled During '-this" last in the art and consequently-wecontemplatezeme ploying all modifications-falling withinrthescopen of the appended claims;

We claim as our'inventionz' 1. A drawbar. coupling ==consistingl of' a' base plate, a cover plate anda block-secured therebee? tween, a pair of pivoted'jaws j'ournadled; between. said plates and forming.- a ball IEC1eViI1g SOCk8tii therebetween, spring means urging saidrjawszto open position, a latch means engageablelwith said jaws and independent-oi saidzspring .means ifor blocking releasin movement.thereof emeansxfor operating said latch, and a cover movably secured to said block for retaining said jaws in closed relation.

2. A drawbar coupling consisting of a base plate, a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, a pair of pivoted jaws journalled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a latch means engageable with said jawstfor blocking releasing movement thereof, means for operating said latch, and a cover movably secured to said block for retaining said jaws in closed relation, said operating means, including a stem on said latch and a connecting means between said stem and said cover.

3. A drawbar coupling consisting of a base plate, a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, .a pair of pivoted jaws journalled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a latch means engageable with said jaws for blocking releasing movement thereof, meanslfor operating said'latch; anda cover movably secured to said-block for retainin said jaws-in closed relation;'said'operating means ineluding a stem on saidzlatch and aconnecting means between said stemand saidcover, said connectingmeans beingoperable to retract said latch upon opening movement of said-cover;

4. A drawbar coupling-consistingmf a base plate,1a cover plate and-a block secured therebetween, a pair of pivoted jaws journalled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a latch meansengageable with said jaws: for blocking releasing c-movement thereof, meansforoperating said latch, and a'cover movablysecured to. said block for retaining said jaws in closed relation, said operatingameans includ-' ing a stem on said latch and-a'connecting means between said stem and said 'cover, said connecting means extending .throughsaid'cover and being pivoted externally thereon; and operable to retract said latch upon opening movement of said cover;

5. A drawbarrcoupling consisting of a baseplate,;a-cover--plate and a-block secured therebetween, a pairxof pivoted jaws'journalled between said plates and: forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a'latch means engageable with said jaws. :for blocking 1;.releasing movement thereof, meansrfor operating said latch, and a-cover movably. secured tosaid'block for retaining said jaws in closed relation, said coverenclosing-and retainingly :engaging said jaws; and: a boss carried' by said cover and engageable with "said ball in towingsrelation thereto.

-6.'A drawbar coupling consisting of a base plate,-a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, a pair of pivoted jaws journalled between said :plates. and forming. a. ballzreceiving socket therebetween, a latch means engageable with said.

jaws for blockin releasing movement thereof, meanszfoi'. operatingsaid latch; and arcover movably secured tosaidblock'for retaining said jaws in closed relatiomsaid coverenclosing and retaininglyxengaging said -jaws,"-and a boss carried by said cover and. engageable 'with'fsaid ballin towsaid plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween a latchi means engageable with said jaws for blocking releasing movement thereof, meanswfor operatingpsaidlatch',and a cover movably. securedzto said block :for retaining said jaws in closed relation, said operating means including a stem on said latch and a connecting means between said stem and said cover, said stem being guided in said cover plate.

8. A drawbar coupling consisting of a base plate, a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, a pair of pivoted jaws journalled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a latch means engageable with said jaws for locking releasing movement thereof, means for operating said latch, and a cover movably secured to said block for retaining said jaws in closed relation, said operating means including a stem on said latch and a connecting means between said stem and said cover, means in said cover plate to guide said stern, said connecting means being receivable in said guide means in said cover plate.

9. A drawbar consisting of a base plate, a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, a pair of jaws pivotally journaled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a bore including a shoulder extending longitudinally through said body, a latch slidable in said bore and adapted to engage a ball, tension means seated in said shoulder and on said latch urging it into engaging relation, said latch thereby blocking releasing movement of the ball,

I means for operating said latch, and a cover pivotally secured to said block for retaining said 30 drawbar in locked relation.

10. A drawbar consisting of a base plate, a cover plate and a block secured therebetween, a pair of jaws pivotally journaled between said plates and forming a ball receiving socket therebetween, a bore including a shoulder extending longitudinally through said body, a latch slidable in said bore and adapted to engage a ball, ten sion means seated in said shoulder and on said latch urging it into engaging relation, said latch thereby blocking releasing movement of the ball, a stem secured to said latch, a cover pivotally secured to said block and movable into selective locking and unlocking positions, means secured to said cover and engaged by said stem for operating said latch when said cover is moved into locking or unlocking position.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said last named means is a flexible tongue secured in said cover and a slot in said tongue through which said stem extends and a recess in said housing to receive the head of said stem.

12. The combination of claim 9 wherein said cover includes an arcuate boss adapted to assist in securing the ball in locked position.

CLARE L. CLARK. CHARLES E. DENISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,527,149 Holland Feb. 17, 1925 1,665,817 Morton Apr. 10, 1928 2,151,181 Appell Mar. 21, 1939 2,347,033 Daton Apr. 18, 194% 

